Daniel h



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet.- l. C. H. EVANS.

ABSORPTION GE MACHINE.

Patented June 2 (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. E EVANS. y ABSORP-TIUN ICE MACHINE.

No. 318,971. Patentedmm 2, 1885.

i @mas Wwef (No Model.) 4 S11?e'f--Sheetv3l C. H. EVANS. ABSORPTIUN ICEMACHINE.

Patented June Z, `1885.

(No Mdel.) 4 sheetssheet 4. G. H. EVANS. ABSGRPTION 10B MACHINE.

No. 318,971. Patented June 2, 1885.

\- lowing is a specification..

' interchangeable orfrepairable.

UNrTED 'Sr-n After EricaoHARLEs n. EvnNs, or NEWYORK, N. Y., .assIcNoE EONE-HALE 'r DANIEL n. CRAIG, AGENT, or `SAME PLAGE. Y

ABsoRPrioN lcs-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,971, dated June 2`1885. Application ilell September 19, 1984. (No model.) l

To all whom. it'mcty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. EvANs, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at N ew York, in the county andSt-ate of New York, haveinvented new and usefullmprovemeuts in Absorption Ice-Machincs,.ot`which the follMy invention relates-to that class of icemaking orrefrigerating machines in which the alternate expansions andcondensations of ammoniacal or othercquivalcnt gases produce:

the ret'rigerating effects. In such machines as hitherto constructedthere was liability to what is ordinarilyhnown as boiling over,77

, and the joints `or couplings in such machines were liable to leakage,and were not readily In niy iniproved construction Il provide a. bypassor sidepath from the still through the domeor stand-pipe for the gas, sothat the gas -eliminated from the ordinary waters may be passed to thecondenser without having to force its way .through the body of theammoniacal water used as the refrigerating agent, and all sections orjoints of the pipes where connections are made are in view forinspection, so

v sent a view, partlyin section andpartly in erating machine, Fig. lbeing a view of'one elevation, of the entire ice-making or refrighalfthereof, while Fig. l is a view of the' kother half thereof. Fig'. 2 isa view, partly in plan and partly in section, of my improved ammoniastill orV gas generator, including what I hereinafter term the.interoepter.

Fig. 3 shows partly in plan and partly in section 'my devices forforming connections between the pipes used in theintercepter, the still,the condenser, andthe absorber, while Fig. tis

a plan view ofl the concentric pipes and head ings or unions therefor.Fig. 5 represents in perspective, with the exterior casing broken whichpasses to and through what I call the- "tintercepter,77 it beingsurrounded at 13 with concentric pipes, affording a path and exit forthe gases eliminated in the still and dome from the am moniacal waterspassed therethrough.

This pipe 2 communicates, as shownfwitha dome or'stand-pipc, 5,interposed between this inlet-pipe, forming the intercepter and thestill proper. This dome or stand-pipe is constructed with retarding orbaffle plates 6, downwardly-inclined, and attached alternately toopposite sides of the dome opstand-pipe, so

that the liquid forced therethrough shall be broken up and forcedto passtherethrough in a tine sheet or spray. From thence this ainmoniacal iuidpasses to the still 7, consisting of a series of pipes passingalternately back and forth. Each pipe of still 7 is surrounded by asteam-pipe, 59, the pipes of 7 being con centricall y seated therein, soas to form a space through which steam or other heating agent may bepassed to vaporize and sendV on' in gaseous form the ammonia orammoniacal gas of the-liquid. e

Tofsupply the necessary heat evenlyand equitably to all the coils-ofthis still, a steam stand-pipe, 44, is used, from which branches 45 areformed, leading to each member ofthe .coilof the still, so that eachmember of the coil is subjectedvto the same degree of heat and pressure.At the other end ofthese members of the coil a return-pipe, 46, isprovided, into which'lead returnfpipes 47- from the coils of the still.This pipe 46 has placed in its 'circuit agsteam-trap, 48, from 'whenceit may lead back to the boiler or other desiredpoint.

By thisarrangement all the coils 'of' the stillVV are subjected,asbefore stated, to equal heat 'and pressure, whereby the Ymore thoroughelimination of the gas lfrom its-fluid vehicleis "rco l the still 'aboutone-half full of the liquidtfrom which the gas is to be eliminated.Hithcrto in apparatus of this kind the eliminated gas to be used on itscondensation and expansion as the refrigerating agent has been compelledto traverse in thel still the entire bodyof incoming ammoniaca] wat-cr,and if at any point t such ammoniacal water was below the point t ofsaturation the liberated gas was simply absorbed thereby. In order toprevent such sequence of action and deliver the eliminated gas at apoint beyond the inlet of` any weakened ammoniacal water, there Y ispro- .vided from the alternate elbows or unions of the coils of .thestill a series of pipes, which n'iay be called a by-pass or shunt,conducting the freed gas from each coil -ot' the still entirely aroundthe still. rlhe main pipe of this by-path or shunt is shown at 11.,whose inner end connects with the base ofthe dome or stand-pipe 5,branch pipes connecting the upper member of each coil of the still withsuchpipe 11 in the neighborhood of the up per portion of such member andof the baitle or check plate 8. The result of this construction is thatthe heated eliminated gas is couducted directly to the dome orstand-pipe, where it meets the incoming strong ammoniacal liquor passingover the check or baliie plates 6 and is cooled thereby, while thisliquor is heated by its contact with the gas. -At the top of the dome'orstand-pipe is a pipe, 12, which leads into the space formed by the pipesor tubesl13, concentrically surrounding the inlet 2. While in thedrawings but two coils of this inlet-pipe 2 and surrounding gasexit pipe13 are shown, it is to be understood that any desired number thereof maybe used. This construction forms what I call in this :class of machinesthe intercepter,7 in which the liberated gas, heated in its liberation,passes aro-und on its way to the condenser, the tubes bringing in thecold gaseous liquor, whereby the gas is cooled to a considerable degreeon its passage to the condenser, and the inflowing liquor is heated to aconsiderable degree before it reaches the dome or standpipe and thestill. Thus economy of fuel is insured, and the hot gas and the coldliquor are made to act on each other, and each brought to'an averagetemperature best suitedfor the subsequent operations thereon. By .thepipe 12, `provided with a suitable stop-cock to regulate its dow, asshown, the eliminated t gas passes within tube 13 and around tnbe2bymea-ns of crossconnections 14 to the tube 15 of the condenser. Thesetubes 15 are seated concentrically within tubes 30,l whereby a .water orcooling space is formed around them,

other cooling-liquid by the pump 27... Int these pipes 15 the freed oreliminated gas is cooled and condensed, from whence it passes by pipe16,3provided, when desired, with the` ceiver is provided withtheordinary visual gage, 20, connected thereto by pipes 19 19, int orderthat the amount of condensed or lique-` ied gas may bereadilydetermined.

G2 6-1, in which may be placed one or more stop cocks or valves, 60, isthe manifold expander, from whence lead any desired number of.connections to refrigcratingcoils 21. ln

with its appropriate stop-cocks or check-valve,

is shown; but it is -to be understoodt that any` desired number may beconnected thereto, a series of such connections, 65, being shownltpander and the refrigerating-coils connected therewith, and in suchexpansion havingabstract ed a percentage ol' the heat from the surrounding objects, passes `to the return mani-t the absorber composed oftubes 24:.` The ani-1 niouiacal liquor from whence thisgas was climi-tlnated in the still passes i'romthe lower meme ber thereof` by `pipeB,provided with a suitable cock or check-valve, into chamber 178, whenceit passes by pipe t to pipe 38, surrounding inletpipe 2. From this pipe3S, by connection 39, it passes to pipe 40, of any de-` sired number ofconvolutions, surrounded by ture to its normal point. Thenee, by pipe41, this weakened and cooledliquor is passed to pipe 24 ot' ,theabsorber, meeting the gas hith-` erto freed from it at point 42. Thisweakened pipes 24, which areof suoli extent that the t gas is againabsorbed by the water, and lthe 25 to the receiver or` tank 26,fromwhence it the same series of operations.

The system of cold-water circulation usedy to cool the gases'and'liquidsinthe condenser,

absorber, and weak-water pipes `is supplied which leads water-outletpipe 28. This pipe extends to any desired dista-nce o r point,and isprovided with any suitable number of `branches for conveyingthe'cooling-waterito i the desired points. branch, 29, is shown astypical'of any number which may be used, 29 connecting by branches 79 79with both the condenser and-theabsorbf er. The branch 79, connectingwith' the convbetween the concentric tubes15 and 30, cool-` ing andcondensing` 15 and the ammoniaeall gases passing therethrough. Aftercircnlating around the pipes of the condenser the wa-` which is keptsuppliedlwith` cold .water or 7o cockor valve 17, to the receiver 18.This re- 21, connected with the receiver 18 by pipes 8o the drawings butonetsuch; rcfrigerating-coil,

The gas, having expanded in this manifold ex` 9o fold 22, whence, bypipe 23, itis conductedtto cooling-pipe 33, so as to reduce its`tempera-` m5 liquor and gas are thenV forced through tthe 1x0.'

liquor. now rcvivitied, is `passed lby the pipe i may be again forcedlby the pump 1 through -115 and controlled bythe waterpump 27, from 12of In the drawings onesuch r 25 denser, delivers the water into the spaceformed 13 i ter passes by pipe 49 to the space between the concentrictubes 40and33, which form what I term the weak-water system 7"-that' is,the system oi'pipes in which the spent liquor, or

vliquor from which the gasA has -been largelyI4 eliminated, isstillfurther cooled preparatory to being passed into the absorberpipes 24.

After passing around these pipes this water tinds exit by branch 43 tothe tubes in cham-f ber 78, whence it is permitted to escape. The

other branch 79 from 29 delivers water in they space between theconcentric tubes 24 and 31- ofthe absorber, from which, aftercirculating therearound, it passes to a waste-pipe or to connections forother uses at4 the point 80. y

This description as' thus far given gives, generally, the constructionot' tlie entire machine and its mode of operatiomembracing the elimi Anation ofthe gas from its duid vehicle or carrier, the cooling andcondensation of thefgas,` its "expansion in the refrigerating coils orchambers, aud its reabsorption by the Water from whi ch it was beforeeliminate@ which seto leak, If such a thing occurs,it is desirablethatit beimmediately'known.` Il" not liscovered at once,the leakage mayconti nue with' u out discovery until all of -the gas (the active orv24F-'are4screw-threaded'and.secured by` these vscrew-threads in disks5l, which then` ffor'm anges to'Lthe pipes 50 and51, are then securedtogether by bolts, any suitable pack.

ing being interposed, ii` desired. The ente` 1 rior or`surroundingpipes,k as v24, 30, 33,.01 59,

agent for the result desired) has-escaped, involving serious loss bothin time and money. To avoid this Ilarrange apeculiarly-constructve'djunction having little liability to leakage,

and also arrange all the joints in sight, so that if perchance anyleakageshould occur it would be immediately discovered. Atthe same timein such j joints or 'couplings are arranged all the connections for thepipes they serve' or are attachedto, so that any tapping and consequentweakeningof the pipes is avoided; and, furthermore, these junctions orunions are so madethat in case o' injury to any section'of 5o pipesuchsection' may be readily removed Vwit-hout disturbance of the remainderof the vapparatus and a new section inserted, the only loss entailedbeing a few minutes stoppage of the machine. I i

Allthfe .return'connections` between the interior pi'pesfcomposingany'portion of the ap paratus are made byltlie elbows/or returnl .bends9,'each end thereof being formed -with a ange, The ends of theseinterior pipes themselves-as, lfor instance, the pipes 7 or l5 aretapped into a th-imble, 52, provided on its interior with aninwardiy-projecting ange, 75, adapted to inclose'quite snugly theinterior pipe. A gland or thimble, 56, havinga projection, 76, about ata right angle to its body,

adapted to inclose and lie parallel to the interior pipe or tube, isused. Its projecting porL tion is adapted to enter the chamber formed inthe interior of thimble 52, and about 'or nearly about on the flange 75.The thimble 52 being secured to the exteriorpipe andthe Linterior placedin position therein, any suit-v able washing or packing. is placedaround the interior pipe,when the .gland orthimble 56 is placed in positio n,and it and 52brought rmly together by bolts passing through theflange Iof 56 into the body of 52, compressing the packing and forming atight joint for the eX- terior, pipe and for it around the interior.

pipe. vAlll of the openings for connections from thepipes and. theconnections themselves are made inthese thimbles. Fig. 3, is shown ineach thimble 52 a con-V nection, 54, provided with ange 55. Tleseconnections 54,beingunited by boltingthrough the ange 55,1`orm a passagefrom the members.

of the outside -system of pipes to each other. At the terminals of asystem of pipes, instead of an elbow, 9, a head, 72, having flanges 7lvis used, to which is attached, and with which is formed,the, dangedprojecting pipe 73. This .construction obviates any tapping andconsequent vveakening of the wrought pipes. From this it may also beseen that any section upon the removal of the bolts uniting the anges 505l at itsy ends may be readily removed and re-A placed immediately by anew section. At the For instance, in

ICO

same time all the joints 50 5l subject to the action of the ammonia arein sight and posi, tion for constant care and inspection. Where theseelbows 9 are used for the still, they are to be cast or formed with theinterior check or baie plates, 8, so as to insure the presenceof allarge amount ofthe ammoniacal liquor constantly in the still.

The use of theI by-pass or shunt-route 10 11 and of the intercepter aidsin equalizing the pressure throughout the entire apparatus,

which is further and completely accomplished by the peculiar coursewhich the liquor and eliminated gas take.' It will be noticed that asthe gas is abstracted from 'the liquor,

the gas and the liquor travelv in opposite directions and unobstructedunt-il they unite again in the. absorber, whence theyn ilow tothereceiver, to be started again onV their path throught-he machine. Atthe-same time, by the use of the by-pass and the intercepter, theoutdowing eliminated gas andthe incoming liquor arejcaused to react oneach other, one cooling the other and being heated in turn thereby, bywhich more thorough utilization of fuel and great economy in itsconsumption are accomplished.

The dome or stand-pipe 5v is provided withv an air-blgw-off pipe, v57,with suitable valve or at its starting.

The construction of details and the combinations thus set forth producea machine exceedingly economical in first cost, and in consumption ofmaterial in use,reliablein action, durable, and not liable toderangement, and in which danger of accident is reduced to a minimum.

It should be noted that in passing ontof the still a certain percentageof steam or watery vapor is commingle'd with the amnioniacal gas setfree from the fluid-vehicle. It is of great importance thatthis steam orwatery vapor shall be wholly condensed and separated from the gas,leaving the latter essentially pure and dry. One of the mainfunctions-ot' the intercepter hereinbefore describedV is to accomplishthis result. Astheliberated gas passes over and around the still inwhich ithas been' set free from its vehicle, it passes, together withthe commingled vapor. into the standpipe,andis driven up through thepipe V12 into the outer concentric pipe of the intercepter and aroundthe inlet-pipe 2, containing the cold ammoniacal liquor passing to thestandpipe. The contact of the mingled gas and steam with the coldinletpipe not only raises the temperature of thc latter, but so farlowers the temperature of the gas as to condense out of it thc steam andwater vapor, which returns down the dome or stand-pipe to the still,leav-r ing the gas essentially pure and dry. This reciprocal heating andcooling is carried on equally at every point of the coils of theintercepter, the cold amnioniacal liquor passing one way, while the gaspasses in the opposite direction.

It will be seen from the foregoing and by an inspection of the drawingsthatV the several parts of the machine are in sections, whereby it canbe taken apart at any time-as, for example, when the seasonterminates-so that the watercooling and ammonia pipes can be removed andcleaned from corrosion, thus mak` ing the machine more durable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent,

1.A In an ice-making or refrigerating machine, an intercepter interposedbetween the 2. In an icemaking or rcfrgerating ma-. chine, thecombination, with the inlet-pipe 'and Jthe still, of an interposedintercepter through which the cold ammoniacal liquor flowing to and thegas liberated by the still f pass in opposite directions, whereby arecipf rocal heating and cooling is effected, raising the temperature ofthe intlowing liquor and condensing the steam and watery vapor out ofthe `gas and returning said condensed fluid to the still,substantially'as deseribed 3. In an ice-making or rel'rigeratingmachine, an intercepter consisting of concentric pipes or tubes, throughone of which passes the gaseous liquor tothe` still, the liberated gas'passing throughthe other,the incoming liquor and outtlowing gas passingin opposite directions for mutual action upon cach other as to coolingand heating, substantially as set forth.

4. In an ice-making or refrigerating machine, a dome or stand-pipeinterposed between the supply-reservoir and the still, consisting of anexterior casing and interior downwardly-projecting baille or checkplates alternately attached to and projecting from two opposite sides ofthe exterior easing, substantially as set forth.

A5. In an iceanaking or refrigerating' inachine, the combination, withthe pipes forniing the still, of internally and upwardly projectingcheck or baiiie plates, whereby cha1ni ing the still, of a series ofpipesconnected thereto and forming 1a by-.pass or shunt-path for theliberated gas around the sti1l,substan tially as set forth.

7. In an ,icc-making or refrigerating machine, the combination of asupplyreservoir or tank, a standpipe or dome, a still, and anintercepter for heating the incomingliquor, interposed between thesupply-reservoir and the dome or still, substantially as set forth.

. 8. In an ice-making or; refrigerating machine, the combination, withthe steam chambers or spaces of the still, of a coinmon'supvply-pipe,branches therefrom to each steam chamber or space, a common outlet orexhaust pipe, and branches therefrom to each steam chamber or space,substantially as set forth.

9. In an ice-making or refrigerating' ma-r chine, the combination, withthe steam or heating pipes or chambers, of a commonlsupply-` pipe, and acommon exhaust or outlet pipe, and connections from both to each steamor heating pipe or chamber, whereby the h eati l OL) iro and pressureare equalized throughout the still, substantially as set forth.

10. In an icemaking orrei'rigffating machine, the combination, with thedome or st andpipeand 'the intercepter, of a branch connectiondelivering the? freed gas `into the space. surrounding the supply-pipes,substantially as set forth.

Y l1. Inan ice-making or refrigerating machine, the combination, of thestill, the bythe intercepter, and the'branclr connection for deliveringthe freed gas from the/dome or stand-pipe to the exterior chamber -of-the in- I tercepter, substantially asset forth.'

l2. The combination, in an ice-machine, of an intercepter' composed ofthe interior pipes and the exterior pipes eccentric thereto, with thechambcred thimbles on the exterior pipes, containing packings, theglands or thimbles on the interior pipes, having tubular fianges orprojections ventering the chambered thimbles, and the return bends orelbows connecting the interior pipes for securing tight joints andpermitting expansion and contraction of the parts, substantially asdescribed.

13. In an ice-making or refrigcrating niaehine, the combination of the'still, the weak- Water cooling-chamber 78, and pipe-connections,substantially as shown, for passing the weak or spent water therethroughand partially cooling it on its road to the absorber, substantially asset forth.

lat. In an ice-making or refrigerating niachine, the combination of anintercepter, a stand-pipe or dome, a. still, a condenser, a receiver, anexpander and refrigerator, an absorher, and pipe-connections,substantially as set forth.

l5. In ice-making or refrigerating machines, the improved method ofheating the incoming liquor and cooling the outilowing freed gas,consisting in causing them to fioW in opposite directions .in contactwith each other through the dome or standpipe,and out of contact inconcentric pipes through the intercepter, substantially as set forth.

16. In an ice-making or refrigerating niachine, the combination, withthe still, intercepter, expander, and condenser', of the spent or Weakwater coolingcharnber 78, system of pipes 40, and lpipe-connectionstherefor, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof 'I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

` CHAS. H. EVANS.v Witnesses: JAMES L. Nonnrs,

Jos. L. Gooirns.

